Grading attendance and participation seems incongruent with the Ontario government's stance on meritocracy, will fuel the flames of grade inflation, and will likely be subject to racial bias.
"A" for Effort: Why Grading Attendance and Participation Might Actually Make Things Worse
Recently, the Ministry of Education announced a significant shift in how teachers will evaluate high school students: attendance and participation will soon be incorporated into final grades. Specifically, for Grades 9 and 10 students, 15% of their grade will be devoted to attendance and participation, with 10% for students in Grades 11 and 12. Education Minister Paul Calandra stated that this idea came exclusively from his engagement with teachers.
